Part 2, Chapter 1: The Battle of the Fangs Notes from White Fang

White Fang Part 2, Chapter 1: The Battle of the Fangs

The she-wolf, hearing the men approaching to rescue Henry, leads the pack away. A large gray wolf, the young leader, runs at the front of the pack. He likes the she-wolf, and is kind to her. He often runs close to her, and she bites him when he gets too close. An old, scarred wolf, One Eye, runs on the other side of the she-wolf. He also runs too close to her at times, and she is forced to snap at him. Sometimes both of them crowd around her at once, growling and threatening each other. At times, a young three-year-old wolf, normally to the right of One Eye, tries to run with the she-wolf, and the young leader and One Eye threaten him.

Soon the wolf pack splits in half, and the she-wolf, the young leader, and One Eye lead their half down to the Mackenzie River. The wolves leave one by one, and soon there is only the young leader, One Eye, and the three-year-old, all pursing the she-wolf.

The three-year-old, in a moment of ambition, rips One Eye's ear, and a battle starts. It is not a fair fight, however, because the young leader joins in, and the three-year-old is soon beaten. He dies for love of the she-wolf. One Eye and the young leader look to the she-wolf for approval. As the young leader turns his head to lick a wound on his shoulder, his neck is left open, and One Eye slashes his throat open. Although the young leader tries to fight back, soon the loss of blood is too much, and he too loses his life for the she-wolf's love.

"She was made glad in vague ways by the battle, for this was the love-making of the Wild, the sex-tragedy of the natural world that was tragedy only to those that died. To those that survived it was not tragedy, but realization and achievement." Part 2, Chapter 1, pg. 33

Soon One Eye and the she-wolf become comrades, hunting and chasing as the days pass by. They travel across the country, and down the Mackenzie River. One night, One Eye and the she-wolf halt suddenly as they hear the sound of men and dogs. It is an Indian camp. "She was thrilling to a desire that urged her to go forward, to be in closer to that fire, to be squabbling with the dogs, and to be avoiding and dodging the stumbling feet of men." Part 2, Chapter 1, pg. 35 However, One Eye convinces her to continue their journey.

Soon they come upon a rabbit, and chase it for food. As One Eye is about to pounce, the rabbit steps into a trap made out of a small tree and flies into the air, out of his range. Not understanding, One Eye crouches in fear. He goes to get the rabbit again, and the she-wolf solves the problem by biting off the rabbit's head. They eat the rabbit together and continue on.